Guo’s collected notes on landscape painting, Linquan Gaozhi (“Lofty Record of Forests and Streams”), describes with much detail the purposes and techniques of painting and is a valuable aid to understanding the landscape painting of the Northern Song dynasty. Few of his paintings have survived; among the works that may be considered authentic are the famous Early Spring of 1072, which is dated 1072, and a hand scroll entitled The Coming of Autumn. Both effectively capture the quality of their seasonal interests and are paramount examples of the Song accomplishment, which balanced pictorial description with expressive brushstroke to provide, as Guo himself wrote, landscapes in which one may physically and mentally ramble.

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Other northern masters of the 11th century who helped to establish the great classical tradition were Xu Daoning, Gao Kegong, and Yan Wengui. The second half of the century was dominated by Guo Xi, who became an instructor in the painting division of the Imperial Hanlin Academy. His style combined the technique of Li Cheng with the monumentality of Fan Kuan, and he made some advances,...